MENLO PARK, Calif. — The Menlo Park Fire Protecion District says it hopes to deploy a drone fleet with the next three to five years to assist in emergency response.
The drones can help in a number of ways, including shining a light to help survey a burned-out building or analyzing the air above a hazardous spill, as detailed by Government Technology.
The fleet is expected to be comprised of three “large frame” drones and other handheld ones.
“This is an asset that gives us incredible new capabilities,” says Harold Schapelhouman, Menlo Park’s fire chief. “Essentially, I gain an air force, if you will, at a price point and an operation level with minimal effort that I never had before.”
Schapelhouman says he will share the drones with law enforcement in emergency response situations. However, the drones will not be used to gather video surveillance.
